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WLSO Symposium Explores Gender Diversity

This month, the Women Law Students Organization at Washington and Lee University School of Law will host the 4th Annual Lara D. Gass Symposium on Women in the Law.

The theme of this year’s symposium is “Better Together: Exploring Gender Diversity.” The event will take place Friday, October 13 from 1:45pm-5:00 p.m. in the Millhiser Moot Court Room, Sydney Lewis Hall on the campus of Washington and Lee University. The event is free and open to the public.

The event will feature three panels discussing gender diversity. The first panel, “We Serve Better Together: Gender Diversity in Public Interest” will begin at 2:00 pm. Panelists include:

  • Rosemary B. James, IP Attorney, Department of Homeland Security
  • Jan Fox, Immigration and Family Law Attorney for Victims of Domestic Violence at Blue Ridge Legal Services
  • Lorna Port, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Augusta County
  • Lorraine Lord, Chief Staff Attorney for the Supreme Court of Virginia

The following panel, “We Learn Better Together: Gender Diversity in Education” will begin at 3:00 pm. Panelists include:

  • Caitlin Peterson, W&L Law Student and ABA Delegate of Diversity and Inclusion for the Student Division
  • Tammi Simpson, W&L Associate Dean of Students and Dean of Juniors
  • Paul Rollins, W&L Law Associate Dean for Administration and Student Affairs

The final panel, “We Work Better Together: Gender Diversity as a Form of Corporate Social Responsibility,” will begin at 4:00 pm. Panelists include:

  • James Moliterno, W&L Professor of Law
  • Sarah Haan, W&L Professor of Law
  • Kelly Faglioni, Partner, Hunton & Williams

W&L Law professors David Baluarte, Brian Murchison and Kish Parella will moderate the panels.

The annual WLSO symposium is named for Lara Gass ’14L, who spearheaded the first Women Law Students Organization panel on women in the law before passing away in a tragic car accident during her third year at Washington and Lee Law School.